Remembering Thanksgiving

When I was a child, Thanksgiving was a very exciting time. Most years, family joined us for dinner, but sometimes, it was just the immediate family, my parents and us kids. My dad always cooked breakfast for us on Sundays and holidays, pancakes! He made great pancakes and we ate piles, literally. He would just keep cooking until he could see we were full, then he'd sit down and have his breakfast.

There was one thing my dad, who's gone now three years as of October, did for us on Thanksgiving when we were kids, that I always remember with such sweetness. We'd come to the breakfast table, waiting for those pancakes, and there was a little gift at each of our places; just small things, a little mini tea set, a little girl's make-up kit - not really make-up, but the play stuff. My brother would find Match Box cars, little tools, those sorts of little toys and goodies one found in the Five and Ten, or in our case, the Hopewell Pharmacy. We could never wait to see what he got us. Small things, big memories.

Yesterday, as I am just getting over a stomach virus from hell, I made a pot of homemade chicken soup. I had a large pack of chicken thighs in the freezer, so I used those. I cooked the chicken with some onions, garlic, celery with leaves, and a couple of carrot. When the meat was cooked, I removed it, but threw the bones and skin back into the pot, cooking another couple of hours. I then strained the broth and put it back into the pot. Along with more fresh onion, lots of garlic - all told, about 8 cloves, carrots, and celery, I threw in a leftover half bag of frozen spinach, some barley, about a third box leftover ditilini macaroni, and finally, some cheese tortellini. That is the best chicken soup I have ever had, and I consider myself a connoisseur. Love chicken soup.

Wasn't sure how Mr. K. would react to such a mixed pot, but he ate three bowls and told me I better make it again just that way. He said I could always add matzoh balls too! As I've mentioned before, we mix it up in our home and it's all good.

Tomorrow we are off to Mr. K's cousin's club, as we have been doing for the past few years, joining relatives and friends. They put on an incredible spread, so it will be a wonderful meal. For leftovers, I've got that pot of soup in the fridge, but who knows, maybe Sunday, as I stir up my Christmas pudding, I'll make a little turkey dinner just for the two of us. As for the pudding, I'll share the adventure of the first one I made later in the week.

Deliciously yours,
Mrs. K.